Premier League could have NINE teams playing in European competition for 2026/27 season

We take a look at how the Premier League could have as many as NINE teams playing in European competition for the 2026/27 season.

Sky Sports‘ Dave Reed took to explain the permutations and combinations, whether it’s made it clearer or even more confusing, we’ll let you be a judge of that…

“For the first time in history, all three European finals will feature an English club. That success could also mean that nine teams, that’s almost half of the Premier League, could be playing in Europe next season. Here’s how…

“Aston Villa have to win the Europa League and finish 5th or 6th. If that happens, five teams qualify for the Champions League through league position and Villa qualify through the Europa League. That makes six.

“However, there is a UEFA rule that would mean England has to sacrifice one of its Europa League spots if they have six teams in the Champions League. Still with me?

“Now, if Chelsea win the FA Cup and finish outside the Europa League spots, they would take that last Europa League spot.

“If Manchester City win the FA Cup, then that Europa League spot would fall to the team in seventh. Eighth place would then secure a spot in next season’s Conference League.

“If Crystal Palace win the Conference League, they would also secure a Europa League spot while finishing outside the top half. That would make it nine English teams in Europe next season.

“Now picture this, there is also a quirk in UEFA’s rules which could make Brentford or Brighton want to lose on the final day of the season to qualify for the Champions League. This does not apply to Bournemouth as they’re playing a team below them in the table.

“But Brentford are playing Liverpool and Brighton are playing Manchester United so if they begin the final day in sixth and the team below them are losing it might be crucial for Brentford or Brighton to lose to keep Villa in fifth because remember Villa have to finish fifth and win the Europa League for sixth to qualify for the Champions League.”

BBC Sport’s Dale Johnson has also done an explanation, with tables also included. See all that HERE.

For the Premier League to have nine clubs in Europe, he says… “The Conference League winners qualify for the following season’s Europa League. And Palace – England’s representatives – cannot qualify for Europe domestically. So, if the Eagles win the Conference League, they would take up an extra place in the Europa League as a titleholder. That would mean the Premier League has nine clubs in Europe.”

Ben Bloom wrote on the Premier League website: “Man City won the EFL Cup in March, but won’t need the UEFA Conference League spot that goes to the winners of that competition because they are already guaranteed to finish in the top two of the Premier League and therefore qualify for a better European competition — the Champions League. The Conference League place will therefore go to the highest-ranked team in the Premier League who have not already qualified for UEFA competitions. With the top five teams qualifying for the Champions League, the sixth and seventh-placed teams currently due to get a Europa League spot, the eighth-placed team would get a Conference League place as it stands. It means there could be an extra prize up for grabs in the battle between the clubs who are close together between sixth and 12th.”

REMAINING FIXTURES:

Sunday 17th May 2026
3pm Brentford v Crystal Palace
3pm Everton v Sunderland
3pm Leeds United v Brighton & Hove Albion
12.30pm Manchester United v Nottingham Forest
5.30pm Newcastle United v West Ham United
3pm Wolverhampton Wanderers v Fulham

Monday 18th May 2026
8pm Arsenal v Burnley

Tuesday 19th May 2026
7.30pm AFC Bournemouth v Manchester City
8.15pm Chelsea v Tottenham Hotspur

Sunday 24th May 2026
4pm Brighton & Hove Albion v Manchester United
4pm Burnley v Wolverhampton Wanderers
4pm Crystal Palace v Arsenal
4pm Fulham v Newcastle United
4pm Liverpool v Brentford
4pm Manchester City v Aston Villa
4pm Nottingham Forest v AFC Bournemouth
4pm Sunderland v Chelsea
4pm Tottenham Hotspur v Everton
4pm West Ham United v Leeds United

Here’s what Man City’s FA Cup win means for Premier League places in Europe.

We know for certain that 7th is the Europa League, and eighth the Conference League.

Aston Villa could yet win the UEL, finish 5th and therefore get 6th in the UCL.

EXPLAINED: https://t.co/nz51YBzAM6 pic.twitter.com/mqXLHjPOJN

— Dale Johnson (@DaleJohnsonBBC) May 16, 2026

Here’s how fans reacted after hearing how the Premier League could have NINE teams playing in European competition for the 2026/27 season…

Carl Leone Brown: Too many outcomes and they don’t explain what if Palace with the Europa conference league… 6 teams in champions league if Villa finish 4th and win the Europa league. So that’s 1 down to 6 in the champions league… 7th & 8th should be in the Europa league but if Palace win the Europa conference league then they will go into the Europa league so surely that means whoever finishes 9th gets into the Europa conference league because the Europa league normally has two teams from the premier league in and two Scottish premier league teams in… I am so confused…

Wane Lawrence: If Villa finish 4th, then 5 teams will go champions league, 6th and 7th place will get Europa and 8th conference. If Villa win the Europa and finish 5th then 6th place will also get champions league spot. Because of this, only 7th will get a Europa spot and 8th will get a conference spot. If palace win the conference, they will go into the Europa play offs 👍

@MisterO98: I’m having a headache.

@JimmyBob-d4h5s: Confused as hell.

@MKhan1-12: Completely lost but this is exciting! The end of the season is going to be about throwing away a game 😅

@CraigLondon: I prefer the European cup, UEFA cup and cup winners cup…. was so much simpler 😊 This is just a headache 😂